NACA Inspired Schools Network
NACA Inspired Schools Network is a nonprofit education organization that supports a network of 16+ Indigenous-led K-12 schools across seven U.S. states through paid fellowships, teacher mentorship, and a community-led school design framework serving Indigenous communities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAlbuquerque, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NACA Inspired Schools Network does
NACA Inspired Schools Network (NISN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that develops and supports a network of Indigenous-led schools serving students, families, and communities across the United States. Founded in 2014 by Kara Bobroff as an extension of the Native American Community Academy (NACA, est. 2006), the organization operates a portfolio of educational programs including a three-year paid School Design Fellowship ($85,000 annual salary with benefits) that co-develops pre-K-12 Indigenous charter, grant, and independent schools; a two-year Growing Together Fellowship for school and instructional leaders; a Teacher Mentorship Program for early-career educators; the Mission Driven Story Cycle (MDSC) framework for community-led school improvement; an annual Indigenous Education Symposium; and the Indigenous Farm Hub for land-based learning. The network comprises 16+ schools across New Mexico, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, with each school designed through constant input from community members, tribes, families, students, and local leaders rather than a standardized template.
NISN does not operate a proprietary technology platform or SaaS product. Its underlying methodology is pedagogical and community-organizational, anchored in four pillars (Community-Led, Academics, Holistic Wellness, and Cultural Identity) and operationalized through fellowship cohorts, convenings, and the MDSC improvement process. The organization is a member of the AmeriCorps national service network and has received grant funding from the Obama Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Foundation, Echoing Green, and Pahara-Aspen Institute. Revenue is grant-funded rather than transactional; NISN charges no tuition or program fees, and the School Design Fellowship is funded through organizational resources that pay fellows directly. Customer segments include Indigenous communities (primary vertical), emerging school leaders and fellows, early-career teachers, and current school and instructional leaders. The organization is governed by an independent board of directors and, as of January 2026, is led by Executive Director Valerie Kie following founder Kara Bobroff's transition to a Board Member and Founder role.
NACA Inspired Schools Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NACA Inspired Schools Network
- Legal name
- NACA Inspired Schools Network
- Website
- https://nacainspiredschoolsnetwork.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NACA Inspired Schools Network is a nonprofit education organization that supports a network of 16+ Indigenous-led K-12 schools across seven U.S. states through paid fellowships, teacher mentorship, and a community-led school design framework serving Indigenous communities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NACA Inspired Schools Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indigenous Education Network Services
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Charter Indigenous/Culturally Focused & Community-Based Schools (EDAJACAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)
Keywords
Where NACA Inspired Schools Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Albuquerque
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
NACA Inspired Schools Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- AmeriCorps National Service Network Membership: NISN is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, providing funding and support through national service programs.
- Fellowship Program Funding: School Design Fellows receive $85,000 annual salary with benefits paid by NISN during the three-year fellowship program, funded through organizational resources and partnerships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | School Design Fellowship - Three-year paid fellowship with $85,000 annual salary and benefits |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
NACA Inspired Schools Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NACA Inspired Schools Network supports the launch and operation of Indigenous-led K-12 charter, independent, and tribal grant schools through a portfolio of paid fellowships, mentorship programs, and a community-led school improvement framework. Its core deliverables are the three-year School Design Fellowship (developing new schools), the two-year Growing Together Fellowship (developing school/instructional leaders), the Teacher Mentorship Program for early-service teachers, and the Mission Driven Story Cycle for school improvement.
Product overview
NACA Inspired Schools Network (NISN) is a network organization rather than a technology product company. It operates a portfolio of educational programs and fellowship opportunities for Indigenous education, including the School Design Fellowship (3-year program developing pre-K-12 Indigenous schools), Growing Together Fellowship (2-year leadership development), and Teacher Mentorship Program. These programs are supported by the Mission Driven Story Cycle framework, which provides schools with community-led improvement tools. The network also organizes the annual Indigenous Education Symposium and maintains curriculum resources including Native Literature and Indigenous Science curricula through its Resource Hub. NISN is not a SaaS or technology platform—it is a nonprofit education network supporting charter and grant schools serving Indigenous communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Teacher Mentorship Program: Program supporting early-service teachers with mentorship and professional development to transform Indigenous educational systems
- School Design Fellowship
- Growing Together Fellowship
- Indigenous Education Symposium
- Mission Driven Story Cycle
- Indigenous Farm Hub
Products and services
- School Design Fellowship A three-year paid fellowship program that co-develops pre-K-12 Indigenous schools with Independent and Charter School frameworks for emerging school founders committed to Indigenous communities. Fellows receive guidance, mentorship, and a salary of $85,000 with benefits.
- Growing Together Fellowship A two-year, cohort-driven fellowship for school and instructional leaders in Indigenous education focused on Mission Driven Teaching, Learning, and Leadership, with regular convenings, professional development, and school-based implementation of the Mission Driven Story Cycle.
- Teacher Mentorship Program A nine-month (September through July) program mentoring early-service teachers (1st-3rd year) at NISN Network schools with monthly professional development seminars, quarterly in-person convenings, and one-to-one mentorship to create culturally responsive learning environments.
- Mission Driven Story Cycle (MDSC) A community-led improvement framework that helps schools translate their mission into meaningful learning experiences through an annual cycle that prioritizes student voice, teacher agency, graduate profiles, capstones, and collection of street data.
- Indigenous Education Symposium An annual symposium celebrating Indigenous Genius through intentional curriculum design and collaborative learning, featuring Indigenous Science and Native Literature curriculum tracks for educators and Indigenous education leaders.
- Indigenous Farm Hub A farm education initiative that integrates land-based healing and learning experiences into Indigenous education, supporting school programs through dedicated farm education and farm directorship functions at the Indigenous Farm Hub.
Quantifiable outcome
- NACA recognized as one of 10 schools nationally for high achievement despite serving high poverty students (2012)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use NACA Inspired Schools Network
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
NACA Inspired Schools Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
NACA Inspired Schools Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AmeriCorpscoreNISN is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. This partnership provides access to national service resources and funding mechanisms for the organization's educational initiatives.
- UNM Institute for American Indian EducationcoreCo-sponsor of the Indigenous Education Symposium (IES 2026), bringing academic expertise in American Indian education to the annual event.
- Central New Mexico (CNM) CollegecoreHost venue for the Indigenous Education Symposium at NACA High School @ CNM, EC Building, 940 University Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NACA Inspired Schools Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Indian Education Association (NIEA): Native-led advocacy organization advancing comprehensive, culturally based education for Indigenous students nationally — directly comparable mission alignment around culturally relevant Indigenous K–12 education.
- Center for Native American Youth: Aspen Institute-affiliated nonprofit focused on Native youth opportunity, including education and leadership pathways — comparable as a foundation-backed organization advancing Native youth outcomes through community-driven programming.
- NDN Collective: Indigenous-led nonprofit organization building collective power and supporting community-driven solutions, including significant investment in Indigenous education, language revitalization, and youth programs — directly comparable as a Native-led nonprofit ecosystem builder serving similar communities.
- Running Strong for American Indian Youth: Nonprofit supporting American Indian youth through education, cultural programs, and community-based initiatives — comparable as a long-standing Indigenous-focused nonprofit operating grant-funded programming across multiple Native communities.
Emerging players
- First Nations Development Institute: Native-led nonprofit supporting economic, food sovereignty, and educational self-sufficiency in tribal communities — comparable as a grantmaking and capacity-building nonprofit serving Indigenous-serving organizations.
- American Indian College Fund: Nonprofit providing scholarships and support for American Indian and Alaska Native students, primarily in higher education — partial overlap as an Indigenous education funder with comparable grant-funded operating model.
Broad incumbents
- Uncommon Schools: Multi-state charter management organization with strong teacher development, fellowship, and leadership pipelines — comparable as a network operating shared curriculum, professional development, and school design support across member schools.
- KIPP Foundation: One of the largest U.S. charter school networks with a multi-site, mission-driven operating model and a teacher development pipeline — broadly comparable as a national charter network with structured leadership and teacher support programs.
- IDEA Public Schools: Large multi-state charter network with a college-prep mission and comprehensive teacher/leader development programs — comparable as a scaled charter school operator with structured pipelines for educators and leaders.
Others
- New Schools Venture Fund: Philanthropic venture fund that invests in and supports innovative public schools and education entrepreneurs — adjacent ecosystem partner that funds and incubates organizations similar to NISN's network model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NACA Inspired Schools Network social profiles
Digital presenceNACA Inspired Schools Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NACA Inspired Schools Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
NACA Inspired Schools Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NACA Inspired Schools Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NACA Inspired Schools Network
What does NACA Inspired Schools Network do?
NACA Inspired Schools Network supports the launch and operation of Indigenous-led K-12 charter, independent, and tribal grant schools through a portfolio of paid fellowships, mentorship programs, and a community-led school improvement framework. Its core deliverables are the three-year School Design Fellowship (developing new schools), the two-year Growing Together Fellowship (developing school/instructional leaders), the Teacher Mentorship Program for early-service teachers, and the Mission Driven Story Cycle for school improvement.
Is NACA Inspired Schools Network a public or private company?
NACA Inspired Schools Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was NACA Inspired Schools Network founded?
NACA Inspired Schools Network was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NACA Inspired Schools Network based?
NACA Inspired Schools Network is headquartered in Albuquerque, United States, in the North America region.
How does NACA Inspired Schools Network make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. AmeriCorps National Service Network Membership is the primary driver. The others are fellowship Program Funding.
Who are NACA Inspired Schools Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Indian Education Association (NIEA), Center for Native American Youth, NDN Collective and Running Strong for American Indian Youth. Emerging players are First Nations Development Institute and American Indian College Fund. Broad incumbents are Uncommon Schools, KIPP Foundation and IDEA Public Schools. New Schools Venture Fund is listed as an others.
Does NACA Inspired Schools Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for NACA Inspired Schools Network.
What industry is NACA Inspired Schools Network in?
NACA Inspired Schools Network's product category is Indigenous Education Network Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJACAM, Charter Indigenous/Culturally Focused & Community-Based Schools, with a secondary code of EDAJACAC, Charter School Networks (Multi-Site). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.